1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight apparatus and a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) apparatus having the backlight apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a backlight apparatus which maintains an operation thereof when a backlight part is damaged, and an LCD apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a display apparatus displays images by converting electronic data processed by an information processing apparatus into a visible image. Types of display apparatus include a cathode ray tube (“CRT”), a plasma display panel (“PDP”), a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) and an organic electro-luminescent (“EL”) display, for example.
A typical LCD apparatus displays images using liquid crystals, electrical and optical characteristics of which vary in response to an electric field applied thereto. The LCD apparatus has been widely used in various electronic apparatuses, because the LCD apparatus has many advantages, such as being light weight, thin, and having low power consumption, for example, in comparison with other types of display apparatuses.
However, the LCD apparatus is a non-emissive type display apparatus, and therefore requires a separate light source, such as a backlight assembly, to supply an LCD panel of the LCD apparatus with light. As a result, a typical LCD apparatus employs a light source, such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (“CCFL”) or a flat fluorescent lamp (“FFL”), for example, which emits light.
The LCD apparatus may further include a backlight apparatus which is used, for example, in a television receiver set or a monitor. In this case, the backlight apparatus typically includes at least two backlight parts controlled by a block unit. Each of the at least two backlight parts includes at least two lamps, and receives a feedback signal to prevent damage to the backlight part when one of the at least two lamps disposed therein malfunctions, e.g., breaks or opens.
At least ten lamps are typically used in a direct-illumination type backlight apparatus. Specifically, five lamps are typically disposed a first backlight part, and a remaining five lamps are thereby disposed in a second backlight part. When any one of the at least ten lamps opens or breaks, the backlight apparatus shuts down to prevent damage thereto. More specifically, when an error is generated in any one of two backlight parts having a common error signal, the backlight part having the error is shutdown as is a remaining, e.g., unaffected, backlight part, to protect an inverter of the backlight apparatus.
Thus, in a monitor, for example, utilizing the inverter protecting method described above, the unaffected backlight part, e.g., the backlight part which does not have the error, is shut down by the common signal. Therefore, a problem exists in that when one backlight part has an error, both backlight parts are shut down, and thereafter no light is provided to the LCD panel disposed in the LCD apparatus for the monitor.